"Are you hypnotizing it or simply sleeping on your feet?" Severide asked startling Casey from his thoughts.
"Who the hell taught you to sneak up on people like that?"
"Sneak up, really? I've been standing here watching you with the tooth-brush for last five minutes." Severide said pointedly. "So the question is what's going on with you?"
"Nothing, just a rough night. You know" Casey smiled weakly.
"Oh, I know everything about that night still not a reason for all this." Severide pointed around. "Is it because of you and Dawson?"
"I…" Casey started but stopped almost immediately.
"What? Just spit it."
"Guess I did drink too much yesterday because for one moment I thought about asking you for a relationship advice."
"Hey, it's really offending. For your information I've been in a lot of meaningful relationships."
"Oh yeah?" Casey smiled and this time it wasn't faked. "What was so meaningful about them?"
"I'd answer you but chivalry prevents me from going any further."
"Of course." Casey smirked.
"What? You don't believe me? Try me."
"Like you said what a great worker you were and then it only took you a day with me to start whining."
"Still I managed through that day. What about this time you're helping me? Let's look what you can do out of your field."
"Why not? If you do have enough things to do..."
"I assure you I do. I'll show you how to work and in the end of the day you're telling me what's bothering you so much."
"It was fun. I should do this more often. Maybe even list that as one of my services." Casey smirked enjoying Severide's pout.
"Who the hell are you, some kind of robot?" He muttered. "The next thing you're telling me what a great singer and dancer you are."
"Unlikely. So if you can dance then it's your chance to beat me."
"You mean you're a great singer?!" Severide gaped at him. The day went absolutely not how he expected. At first Casey asked a lot of questions but few hours later he got the grasp of things and Severide could tell that with a little more practice he would get even better at repairs as he himself.
"Maybe. I'll leave you to wonder about that."
Casey was in a good mood again and for a second Severide doubted whether it was a right move to disturb the peace. But it was too good opportunity to be missed.
"Still we have a deal and now is your turn."
"What deal?" Casey frowned and then it dawned on him. "You mean the one with you proving yourself to me."
"Exactly." Severide nodded.
"Well, if you're as good at advising as you're at working…"
"It's not that bad at all. And you need someone to talk to."
"Okay" Casey said after a pause. "But it's not that there's something concrete I can tell you. I'm not sure about things myself. I've just been thinking that maybe we're moving too fast and all."
"There's no such thing as moving too fast. You just jump in and either luck is on your side or it isn't."
"Now I see why you were in so MANY meaningful relationships." Casey snorted.
"Fine, let's do it your way. You and Dawson have been dancing around each other for months, so tell me now what your notion of moving fast is?"
"We've been looking for apartments for two months already. You know how many apartments are available in Chicago?"
"I do. Been there done that."
"Of course, with Rene."
"And Shay." Severide added not comfortable with reminding of the whole his-baby-not-his-baby thing.
"I mean it shouldn't be that hard but there's still something preventing us from choosing. I thought she wanted to move together but maybe I misread. You know when we started dating she said she wasn't comfortable living here. I got it as a sign of finding new place but what if she was talking about living with me at all. Maybe she needs her freedom …"
"And you're not sure what you're feeling about this." Severide nodded understandingly.
"I'm not getting cold feet or any. Just I've been there with Hallie and the whole let's-slow-down thing. I thought it would be different with Gaby, as you said we've been dancing for a while around each other."
"You thought she was the one. You were ready to settle down and start a family with her but it appeared she wasn't so ready." Severide mumbled and Casey wasn't sure was he talking about him or himself. "Forget what I said about jumping in. My advice will be to slow down and wait for her to make a step towards you. You did a lot already now you have to give her time to get ready. Hopefully she'll get there soon and if not…"
"I still have the work to fill my free time."
"I was going to say friends and booze and poker nights but work will do too."
"By the way, have you heard about Cruz and Otis hosting for the poker night?"
"No, how could I miss something like that?"
"One more of those mystery relationships?"
"Shut up, I'm trying to help here and what I get in return."
"My sincere gratitude and knowledge of the next poker night." Casey winked at him.
"That will do. Hope your men have enough money my car needs some remodeling." Severide chuckled already calculating what he could do.
"That's in case you win because I could use free money too." Casey teased him. They haven't played together since Andy's death and so he made it clear that he would be there too so Severide could avoid the whole thing if he wanted to.
"One more challenge, I see. Why wait for that night when we can see right here and now whether you are as good at poker as you are at work or not."
"Fine but don't whine afterwards."
"You wish."
A/N: You all asked me for one more chapter and after the 18th episode of Chicago fire I just couldn't stay away from the broment I saw. Two more things I got from the episode are guys poker night where I so hoped to see Kelly and discussion of Casey/Dawson behavior where I'm fully on Casey's side and don't get Dawson's problems at all. Anyway here's the second part of our guys free time together, enjoy it.
Me, thank you, I'm so happy you love my Shay, one of the characters that I can express my feelings through and I agree it's a pity she's just supporting Dawson and nothing else in the show. I don't like Dawson, don't understand why she became the main figure of the whole show and so on but this story isn't about her so I'm stopping.